A metamorphic inorganic framework that can be switched between eight single-crystalline states

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14185
• Publication Date: 2017-02-13T10:34:18Z
• Authors: Caihong Zhan; Jamie M. Cameron; David Gabb; Thomas Boyd; Ross S. Winter; Laia Vilà-Nadal; Scott G. Mitchell; Stefan Glatzel; Joachim Breternitz; Duncan H. Gregory; De-Liang Long; Andrew Macdonell; Leroy Cronin
• Keywords: Crystal (programming language); Robustness

Abstract The design of highly flexible framework materials requires organic linkers, whereas inorganic are more robust but inflexible. Here, by using linkable rings made up tungsten oxide (P 8 W 48 O 184 ) building blocks, we synthesized an single crystal material that can undergo at least eight different crystal-to-crystal transformations, with gigantic volume contraction and expansion changes ranging from −2,170 to +1,720 Å 3 no reduction in crystallinity. Not only does this the largest crystal-to-single transformation thus far reported (to best our knowledge), system also shows conformational flexibility while maintaining robustness over several cycles reversible uptake release guest molecules switching between metamorphic states. This combines frameworks, thereby challenging notion mutually exclusive.